Deep Down Under
by SS Pumpkin Pie
Summary: Hogwarts is starting swimming lessons! But what happens when an element of Harry's life that he tried so hard to forget comes back to haunt him? Third year AU. *First chapter revised!*


Deep Down Under  
  
  
Hey guys, this idea for a fic just popped into my head, so here I am! Please Read and review!  
  
  
Also-This fic takes place in third year because I don't feel like explaining about the second task. You'll see, just go read.  
  
  
Disclaimer- I own my plot, and everything else belongs to the wonderful JK Rowling.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The students of Hogwarts were gathered around a sign posted on the doors of the great hall. It read- Gryffindors and Slytherins are to report to the lake at 10am today and Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws tomorrow for a new class, swimming. Due to the threat of the lake on the ground, we feel that this is necessary. Swimming suits will be provided, but if you have one, by all means, wear yours.  
  
Harry's eyes widened in sudden terror as he remembered Dudley. Hoping he would drown, the Dursleys had never sent him to any swimming lessons. They sent Dudley to the Y briefly, but the number of people who had passed out from fright at the sight of Dudley in a swimming suit caused them to stop. But that wasn't it. He remembered when he was little and they had all gone to the beach...  
  
  
~*~Flashback!~*~  
  
  
He was only about three, and small for his age. Dudley was a least five times bigger than he was and much taller. Harry was dressed in an old, ratty pair of swim trunks that Aunt Petunia had picked up at a thrift store.  
  
  
Cautiously, Harry stepped into the water. He smiled when he realized it wasn't going to hurt him. The waves splashed over his feet and he walked out a little farther. For the time being, Dudley was content throwing sand at people. Not bothering Harry at all. He should have known it was too good to last.  
  
  
"Hey you!" Dudley called as he splashed out to where Harry was. He grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him out farther into the water.  
  
  
"Please, let me go!" Harry whimpered. The grip on his arm was too tight. He looked around wildly. They were getting very deep out into the water. A little farther and- Harry kicked to try and touch the bottom but it was too deep. He couldn't reach, and he was going to drown!  
  
  
Suddenly, Dudley let go of the vice-like grip on Harry's arm. He placed both hands on Harry's shoulders and pushed down.  
  
  
Harry plunged under the water. He tried to take a breath and water burned his throat. He struggled and fought Dudley, but it was no use. He was going to die. His short life passed before his eyes. It wasn't a very good life and he had nothing going for him, but he was too young to know about suicide and stuff, so he had no wishes to end his life.  
  
  
Dudley suddenly released him and he popped back up. Harry gasped for air, coughing up water. Dudley grabbed him by the arm again and dragged him back on to shore. If he killed Harry, not only would he be in a lot of trouble, but he would not have anyone to pick on at home.  
  
  
He dropped Harry on the sandy beach and went to throw things at people. Harry lay on the ground, panting and from that point on was afraid of water and drowning.  
  
  
~*~Flash Forward~*~  
  
  
Harry groaned again when he realized that the class was for all years. Ginny was a second year. Although he was beginning to fall for her-wait. Harry was NOT falling for his best friend's sister. He shook himself mentally to clear his mind.  
  
  
He glanced at his watch, which he had replaced that summer, and saw that it was nine thirty. "Come on guys, we'd better go down to the lake." He told Ron and Hermione.   
  
  
"Why are we swimming in suits, wont that be a bit uncomfortable?" Ron asked, looking confused. Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione gave Ron a lecture about how swimming suits weren't suits at all. By the end of it, he was more confused than before. "Then why would they call it that?" Hermione just sighed, rolled her eyes and told him he should read more.  
  
  
The trio made their way out to the lake. Harry groaned again (He does that a lot) as he remembered that   
Malfoy would be in this lesson. Great. Another way for Harry to humiliate himself.  
  
  
"If everyone who needs a swim suit will come and get one, you can all go into the Quidditch locker rooms to change." Professor Sinsta yelled. She was muggleborn and before Hogwarts was a swim instructor. Perfect for the job.  
  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione all went up to Sinstra and got a swim suit. Hermione's was a light red tankini with a long, thin pocket running down the side of the shorts. When Ron asked what it was for, she replied, "My wand. And to think, you, a wizard."  
  
  
Harry's and Ron's looked pretty much the same. Slightly darker red and gold trimmings. They also had a pocket down the side. They made their way into the boys locker room and Hermione into the girls'. Harry changed quickly, then sat on the bench to wait for Ron.  
  
  
"Gee Potter, your scrawnier than I thought." Malfoy said sarcastically. "You know what they say, fat people float. Better not fall in, you'll sink right to the bottom. Granger however, that's a different story. She'll probably float three inches above the water."  
  
  
Harry glared at him. "Sod off Malfoy."  
  
  
"Oh is that the best you can do? You are pitiful, Potter." Malfoy sneered, and walked out of the locker room.  
Finally, Ron was finished, and they went out too. They met Hermione just as she was coming out and they all stood at the front of the crowd.  
  
  
"We're going to start by seeing how well you can swim in order to put you in a group. There are three, those who can't swim at all, those who can a little and advanced swimmers. First of all, who can swim?" Sinstra shouted above the students.  
  
  
About a third of the group (mostly muggleborns) raised their hands, and Harry was amazed to see that   
Malfoy raised his hand too.  
  
  
"You can swim Malfoy?" Harry asked, curious. Swimming was a muggle thing.  
  
  
"Mother thought it was a useful thing to learn, although Father didn't agree, if you MUST know." Malfoy replied with a glare.  
  
  
"Okay," Sinstra continued, "The test is this-swim as far as you can across the lake. If you can't swim at all, please let me know and you will not have to swim. Now, who wants to go first?"  
  
  
Hermione waved her hand in the air and Sinstra called on her. She dove neatly into the water, swam nearly all the way across, did a summersault and came back. "Very good Miss Granger! You will most likely be in the advanced class!" Hermione blushed, and went to go stand by Ron and Harry.  
  
  
"Ok, who's next?" Sinstra asked. Not a single person raised their hand. "Alright, then I shall have to pick someone. How about you Mr. Potter? You grew up with muggles, surely you know how."  
  
  
Harry tried to say that he didn't know how to swim, and that he couldn't do it, he was too afraid, but the words got stuck in his throat. Besides, he didn't want Malfoy or anyone else to know he was scared of a little bit of water.  
  
  
But the lake was considerably more than a little bit of water. It was fathoms deep in some places, and nearly a mile wide. It was a LOT of water.   
  
  
"Professor-I-I-can't-" Harry spluttered.  
  
  
"Nonsense, Harry. Go on!" Sinstra replied, giving him a little push.  
Harry took a deep breath, and realized he was shaking. "Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked, concerned.  
  
  
"F-fine." Harry stuttered. He was shaking harder now, but he couldn't let anyone know. He gave his towel to Ron to hold and walked up to the side of the lake. He took another deep breath, and prepared to jump in.  
  
  
"Oh, is wittle scar head afraid of the big bad lake?" Came Malfoy's insult. Harry just ignored him, although he knew he was right. He was afraid, he couldn't do it.  
  
  
He stood up from where he had been looking over, and started to tell Sinstra that he couldn't do it, but before he could, someone came up behind him and pushed him in.  
  
  
They were on the deeper end of the lake, and the end of the ground dropped off sharply. It was deep where Harry was pushed in.  
  
  
Harry struggled, he felt like someone was holding him down. It was Dudley, he thought, he was drowning him. He kicked around and his foot got tangled in some seaweed. He tried to propel himself up with his arm, but he was good and stuck to the bottom.   
  
  
He was running out of air and tried to take a breath. Water filled his lungs and burned his nose and throat.  
  
  
Finally, someone on land came to their senses and dived into save him. They cut the seaweed with a spell and pulled Harry out of the water onto the land.  
  
  
He was so tired. He just wanted to go to sleep....So he passed out.  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
Like? There will be another chapter, I promise! 


End file.
